Thirds to robert j



t, e .e, h s e e h s 3 SM Il K U L B. U D. R

(No Model.)

CONVE-YBR FOB. GVOALOR-'OTHER MATERIAL.

Patented Septgzfl, 1895,

ITN/enfer I AN DREW B-GRIHAMJHUTU-UTHQWSHINGTUN. ILC.

(No Modelu.)

, 3 Sheets-.Sheet 2.

E. DU BJ'LUKIS. GONVEYBR GOAL 0R OTHER MATERIAL.

Pat

ell,

,FHUTO'UYNUWASHINGIUILMQ v (No Moae1.) a'sneets-sneet 3.

. E. DU B. LUKIS; GONVEYER FOR GOAL 0B. OTHER MATERIAL. N0.'546,671 j Patented Sept. 24, V1896.

ANDREW B GRM'IAM.PHOTO-UYHQWASHINGTDNUC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST DU BOIS LUKIS, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO ROBERT J. WHANN AND ROBERT W. TYLER, OF SAME PLACE.

CONVEYER FOR COAL OR OTHER MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent N o. 546,671, dated September 24, 1895. Application filed May 31, 1895. Serial No. 551,187. (No model.)

To all 'wiz/0m it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNEST DU Bois LUKIs, a citizen of Great Britain, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coal or other Conveyers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in elevated carriers, and it has for one of its objects to provide a carrier designed more especially for transferring material from a boat to the shore in those localities where levees are employed to prevent the waters from encroaching upon the land, and one embodying such a construction that it may be erected without in any way damaging the levee, and may be readily moved from place to place according to where it is desired to deposit the unloaded material.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elevated carrier embodying mechanism through the medium of which all slack of the cable may be quickly taken up and the same rendered exceedingly taut, so that but a few supports need be employed to properly support the cable and the weight carried thereby, which is a desideratum.

Another object of the invention is to pro-- vide a cheap and simple device for fixing. carriers upon the cable, and one which may be readily/ loosened to permit of the carriers being ad] usted to various points on the cable, and which is adapted to permit of the carrier being readily rocked to discharge its load;A

and still another object is to provide means for raising the carrier-connecting devices Aas they pass over the sheaves of the intermediate support, so as to prevent unnecessary wear of said devices and also prevent them from catching against the sheaves and straining the cable and the cable-moving machinery.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in whichp Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating my improved elevated carrier in an operative position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the carrier. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View illustrating the drums on which the cable is wound together with the appurtenances of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail section taken in a plane at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail transverse section illustrating the manner in which the carriers are fixed upon the cable, and the manner in which the carrier-connecting devices are raised when they take over the sheaves of the intermediate support. Fig. G is a detail section taken in the plane indicated by the line oc :r of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the device for connecting the carriers and the cable. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken in the plane indicated by the line y y of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the block for gripping the cable, removed from the connecting device.

Referring by numerals to said drawings, 1 indicates a body of water.

2 indicates a levee.

3 indicates a road, such as is ordinarily built at the shore side of a levee.

4 indicates a swinging crane, which is mounted on a float or scow 5, and is provided with an unloading-bucket 6, which may be constructed and operated in the ordinary or any suitable manner.

7 indicates a iioat or scow for supporting the driving machinery of my improved carrier.

8 indicates cross-bridges connecting the floats or scows 7 and 5, and 9 indicates a float or scow which is arranged on the shore side of and connected with the scow 7 and is designed to serve as a counterpoise for said scow 7, so as to hold the apparatus thereon steady. The vscow 7 carries the hopper 10, which is designed to receive from bucket 6 and is mounted on a suitable supporting-frame 1 1, and is provided in its opposite sides with discharge-openings 12, controlled by suitable doors 13, and said scow also carries the machinery for driving the cable 14. This machinery is better illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and it preferably comprises a shaft 15, having gear-wheels 16 at its ends, a shaft 17 having pinions 18 meshing with the gears 16, and also having a pulley 19 to receive a belt 20,

IOO

connected with a suitable engine or other motor 21, the drum 22, (see Fig. 3,) which is suitably fixed on the shaft 15, the drum 23, which is loosely mounted on the shaft 15 and is provided with a clutch-face 24,a clutch 25, which is feathered on the shaft so as to turn therewith and slide thereon and is connected with a lever 26, by which it may be adjusted when desired, and a brake-band 27, which is designed to bear against the drum 23 and is connected to a lever 2S, having a detent 20 to engage a rack 30, whereby it may be adjustably fixed in various positions. The cable 14 is arranged in practice to take under one drum and over the other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and it will therefore be observed that with the construction just described, when both drums are fixed to the shaft and said shaft is rotated, the cable will be paid off of one drum and will be as quickly taken up by the other, thus preventing the cable from sagging at any point intermediate of the two drums, and rendering it unnecessary to provide a great number of intermediate supports for the cable. This of course only applies when the cable is very taut; but it will be observed that the cable-driving apparatus described is adapted to take up all slack of the cable and render it exceedingly taut and keep it so, it being simply necessary when the cable is to be stretched or tightened to move and hold the clutch 25 out of engagement with the drum 23, so as to render said drum loose on the shaft and forcibly apply and hold the brakeband 27 against said drum, so as to lock it against rotation and then rotate the shaft so as to turn the drum 22 and enable the same to take up the slack of the cable and stretch and thoroughly tighten the same. After this has been done the brake-band 27 is released and the clutch 25 is moved into engagement with the clutch-face 24, when both drums 22 and 24 will be fixed to turn with the shaft, so as to pay out and take up the cableJ respectivcly, as before described. The engine or other motor 21 for driving the shaft 15 is reversible, for a purpose presently described, and it will therefore be appreciated that both drums 22 and 23 maybe alternately employed to pay out and take up the cable. Frein one drum* the drum 23, for instance-the cable 14 passes beneath a sheave 40, mounted in suitable standards on the scow 7; thence upwardly and over a sheave 4l, supported on the scow 7 at about the elevation illustrated; thence past one side of the hopper 1 0 and over a sheave 42, mounted on the support 43, located on top of the levee 2; thence around the approximately horizoutallydisposed sheave 44, mounted on the support 45, located on the opposite side of the road 3 with respect to the levee 2; thence back over the sheave 4G on support 43; thence past the opposite side of hopper 10 and over the sheave 47 and under the sheave 4S on the scow 7, and thence to the drum 22. Thus it will be observed that a sufficient length of the cable 14 may be paid off of one drum and taken up on the other, and the engine may be then reversed and the cable may be paid off the second-named drum and taken up on the first-named drum; or, in other words, the direction of movement of the cable may be readily changed when desired.

On account of the danger incident to removing any part of a levee or otherwise damaging the same, it is unlawful in those localities where levees are employed to puncture or sink supports in the same. For this reason I prefer to construct the support 43 with a base 49, preferably of rectangular form, sufficiently heavy to hold the support against tilting orother movement without the aid of guyropes or the like. This manner of securing the support 43 against casual movement is also desirable and advantageous, inasmuch as it admits of the support being readily moved from place to place when desired. The support 45 is also provided with a heavy base 5, as shown, to hold it against casual movement, and this base is assisted by guy-ropes 51, secured to stakes 52 driven in the ground, which stakes may be readily removed when it is desired to move the support from one point to another.

GO indicates the carriers of my improvements, of which two are illustrated, although more or less may be employed, if desired. These carriers may be of any suitable construction and may be connected in any approved manner to the hangers G1, which are provided at their upper ends with lateral branches G2, designed for a purpose presently described.

63 indicates loose wheels, which are mounted at the sides of the cable-sheaves 42, and G4 indicates the devices for connecting the hangers of the carriers to the cable. These devices respectively comprise the two clips G4, arranged the approximate distance (illustrated) apart and having their ends threaded; the platetl, mounted on the threaded ends of said clips; the nuts 06, mounted on the threaded ends of the clips above the plate G5, and the cablegripping block G7, having the groove US in its bottom to seat the cable 14. r1`his gripping-block G7 is interposed between the plate G5 and the lower ends of the clips G4, and it has the grooves 69 to receive the vertical branches of the clips, and the shoulders 70 to bear against the said branches of the clips, so as to prevent it from moving longitudinally in the clips. Said gripping-block G7 also has a central transverse aperture 71 to receive the lateral branch 62 of the hanger G1, which is secured in position by a nut, as shown, or in any other approved manner, and by reason of the construction described it will be observed that when it is desired to loosen the grip on the cable, so as to permitof the device 64 and the carrier 60 being moved to any desired point on said cable, itis simply necessary to loosen the nuts 66, so as to relieve pressure on the block U7. It follows from this that when it is desired to fix the devices G4 IIO on the cable, so that they will move therewith, it is simply necessary to tighten the nuts 66, so as to clamp the cable, between the gripping-blocks and the lower ends of the clips, which may be quickly and easily effected.

In order to raise the `carrier-connecting devices 64 as they pass over the sheaves of the intermediate support 43, so as to prevent unnecessary wear of said devices, and also prevent them from catching against the sheaves and straining the cable and the cable-driving machinery, I provide the shoes 75, which are mounted on the hanger-branches 62 at the side of the connecting devices. These shoes have their lower edges, which rest below the connecting devices 64, beveled to enable them to ride over the wheels 63, and by reason of said shoes riding over the wheels 63 it will be observed that the connecting devices will be raised above and will pass over the sheaves 42 without engaging the same.

In the practice of the invention I prefer to connect the two carriers to the cable 14, as shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, so that when one carrier is at the side of the hopper in a position to be filled the other will be at a point adjacent to the sheave 44, which is the discharge-point. Now, with the carriers in this position on the cable, it is simply necessary for an attendant standing on a suitable platform at the side of the hopper to raise the door 13, so as to permit material which has been deposited in said hopper by bucket 6 to pass into the carrier 60. When said carrier is lled and the other carrier adjacent to the sheave 44 is dumped, the engine 2l is started, and the drums are rotated to move the cable in the direction indicated by arrow, (see Fig. 2,) so as to carry the filled carrier to the dumping-point adjacent to the sheave 44 and return the empty carrier to a position at the side of the hopper 10. This empty carrier is then filled and the other one is dumped in the manner described, and the engine and direction of rotation of the drums are reversed, so as to move the cable in the direction opposite to that indicated by arrow and carry the illed carrier to thedumpingpoint and return the empty carrier to the filling-point, and so on.

It will be observed from the foregoing that my improved apparatus is designed more particularly for use in those localities where levees are employed for transferring coal and the like from a vessel to the shore. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to using myimprovements in alocality where levees are employed for transferring coal and the like, as it may be used in any locality to which it is suited, and for transferring any material that it is adapted to transfer. I also do notdesireto be understood as confining myself to the specific construction of devices for fixing the drum 23 to its shaft and rendering it loose on its shaft and holding it against rotation to permit of the cable being tightened by the other drum,

as any suitable means may be employed for these purposes.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that while comparatively cheap and simple my improvements form a highly-efficient carrier, which maybe used to advantage in those localities where there are levees, and 'one which may be readily moved from one point to another, when desired, in a short space of time.

In lieu of employing a single hopper, I may employ two hoppers arranged on opposite sides of the parallel branches of-the cable with doorsin their sides contiguous to the branches of the cable, so as to discharge into the buckets thereon. The distance between the branches of the cables where they pass the' hopper or hoppers may, when desired, be regulated by varying the distance between the sheaves 44 on support 45.

Having described my invention, what I claim is l. The combination of a movable float, a hopper mounted on a suitable support on the float, a portable support adapted to be placed on the shore, a sheave mounted on said portable support, a cable passed around said sheave and past the hopper on the float, two carriers connected with the cable at different points and means located on the float for moving the cable in opposite directions, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a movable iioat, a hopper mounted on a suitable support on the oat, a portable support adapted to be placed on the shore, a sheave mounted on said portable support, a cable passed around said sheave and past the hopper on the float, two carriers connected with the cable at different points, means located on the lloat for moving the cable in opposite directions, and a second counterpoise float IiXedly connected with the first named iioat at the side of the same and movable therewith, substantially as specified.

3. In a conveyer, the combination of a movable oat, a hopper mounted on a suitable support on the float, anintermediate portable support adapted to be mounted on a levee, sheaves arranged on opposite sides of said support, a portable end support arranged on the opposite side of the levee support with respect to the float, a sheave mounted on said end support, a cable passed around the sheave of the end support, over the sheaves of the intermediate support and past the hopper on the float, two carriers connected with the cable at different points, and means located on the oat for moving the cable in opposite directions, substantially as specified.

4. In an elevated carrier, the combination of a cable, a suitable means for moving t-he same, a connecting device mounted on the cable and comprising the clips having threaded ends, the plate and nuts mounted on the threaded ends of the clips, and a gripping block interposed between the plate and the ends of the clips and adapted to clamp the IIO cable against the ends of the clips and having a transverse aperture, a hanger having a lateral branch at its upper end arranged in the transverse aperture of the gripping block and a carrier connected with the hanger, substantially as specified.

5. In an elevated carrier, the combination of ashoave mounted on a suitable support, a wheel mounted at the side of the sheave, a cable taking over the sheave, a connecting device secured on the cable, a carrier connected with the connecting device, and a lifting shoe connected with the carrier and adapted to engage the wheel at the side of the sheave as it passes over the same and thereby raise the connecting device above the sheave, substantially as specified.

G. In an elevated carrier, the combination of a cable, a suitable means for moving the same, a connectingr device mounted on the cable and comprising the clips having threaded ends, thc plate and nuts mounted on the threaded ends of the clips, and a gripping block interposed between the plate and the ends of the clips and adapted to clamp the cable against the ends of the clips and having a transverse aperture, a hanger having a lateral branch at its upper end arranged in the transverse aperture of thegripping block, a carrier connected with the l1anger,asheave mounted on a suitable support and adapted to support the cable, a Wheel mounted at the side of the sheave, and a lifting shoe arranged on the branch of the hanger and adapted to engage the Wheel at the side of the sheave as it passes over the same and thereby raise the connecting device above the sheave, substantially as specied.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST DU BOIS LUKIS. W itnesses:

ALrHoNsE J. CUNEO, Guo. E. DUCLAUX. 

